Egyptian Cosmology: The Animated Universe - Second Edition [Paperback]

Moustafa Gadalla (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2001

Egyptian cosmology is the only metaphysics of all (ancient and modern) that is coherent, comprehensive, consistent, logical, analytical, and rational. This book surveys the applicability of Egyptian concepts to our modern understanding of the nature of the universe, creation, science, and philosophy. Discover the Egyptian concept of monotheism, number mysticism, the universal energy matrix, how the social and political structures were a reflection of the universe, and the interactions between the nine universal realms, ...etc.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Moustafa Gadalla

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 5 - The Dualistic Nature, Item #5

The Egyptian Pharaoh was always referred to as the Lord of the Two Lands. Western academia cavalierly stated that the Two Lands are Upper and Lower Egypt. There is not a single Ancient Egyptian reference to confirm their notion, or even to define such a frontier between Upper and Lower Egypt.

Throughout Ancient Egyptian temples, you will find numerous symbolic representations relating to the ceremony of Uniting the Two Lands, where two neteru are shown tying the papyrus and lotus plants. Neither plant is native to any specific area in Egypt. The most common representation shows the twin neteru, Hapi (a mirror-image of each other), each as unisex with one breast.

The term, Two Lands, is very familiar to the Baladi Egyptians, who refer to it in their daily life. It is their strong belief that there are Two Lands - the one we live on, and another one where our identical twins (of the opposite sex) live. The two are subject to the same experiences from date of birth to date of death. [More about this concept throughout this book, and particularly chapter 21.]

You and your "Siamese" twin, who "apparently" separate at birth, will re-unite again at the moment of death. The Baladi Egyptian Enumerators describe, in their lamentations after the death of a person, how the deceased is being prepared to join his/her counterpart (of the opposite sex), AS IF it is a marriage ceremony. This is reminiscent of the many symbolic illustrations in Ancient Egypt of the tying the knot of the Two Lands. To be married is to tie the knot.

As far back as the Unas (so-called "Pyramid") Texts, one finds that the Pharaoh Unas (2356-2323 BCE) unites/joins with Auset (Isis) immediately after departing the earthly realm. This is based on the premise that since every man is Ausar in his "dead" form, each joins his/her counterpart (Auset in the case of a man), at the moment of the earthly departure.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Tehuti Research Foundation; 2 edition (August 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965250938
• ISBN-13: 978-0965250931
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #547,369 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Moustafa Gadalla is an Egyptian American independent Egyptologist, who was born in cairo, Egypt in 1944. he holds a bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Cairo University.

From his early childhood,Gadalla pursued his Ancient Egyptian roots with passion, through continuous study and research. Since 1990,he has dedicated and concentrated all his time to researching and writing.

Gadalla is the author of thirteen internationally acclaimed books about the various aspects of the Ancient Egyptian history and civilization and its impact worldwide. His books are alos found in seven other living languages.

Gadalla is the chairman of the Tehuti research foundation -- an international, US based, non-profit organization dedidacted to Ancient Egyptian studies.
Gadalla is also the founder and Dean of the on-line Egyptian Mystical Universisty for public education of the Egyptian deep knowledge and wisdom.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Egyptian Cosmology Reinvigorated, February 3, 2002

By 

Jason C. Just (Timaru, New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Egyptian Cosmology: The Animated Universe - Second Edition (Paperback)

The Second Edition print of Egyptian Cosmology could almost be a new book by Moustafa Gadalla. The chapters and a majority of the contents has been updated in line with his recent research and other publications. To compare the two academically would be an injustice, the second edition stands strongly on its own right and the divergent material included only accentuates what was a puissant publication. There is more than fourty pages of additional information and as ever the writing is succinct and intuitive.

In itself the book flows with the concept of universal harmonic laws, broken into eight parts the last being The Octave; which is a return to the beginning, or new beginning derived at the end. Moustafa explores number symbolism greatly in the second book and its co-existence with our own science and discovery of how all life is generated. Points are made clearly without academic egocentricity as the book breaks down the hegemony that surrounds modern Egyptology. "Words convey information; symbols evoke understanding." The book does not hide answers behind veils of rhetoric but delivers an intuitive perception that the reader can quickly identify with.

The symbolism of numbers one through eight are given a chapter, each outlining the basic principles of the numbers and their correlation to our world and as the Ancient and Modern indigenous Egyptians interpret them. Animism is a strong theme, but not a natural dissection of a culture rather a exploratory look at it through the eyes of the Egyptians analogous to our own scientific facts of the universe.

The so-called `Gods', really neteru - the main principles/universal actions of the Egyptian spirituality - are detailed richly. Man's identification and personification of these neteru is dutifully explained as microcosm to the macrocosm. The books goes on to discuss the metaphysics of spirituality refusing to treat it like it was some fanciful metaphor giving strong backbone to ideas of life after death and the cycle of nature. In addition humankind's role in society and culture is explored as it was with the Ancient Egyptians and how it saw and maintained itself in accordance with true harmony of community, not just titular.

Egyptian Cosmology is not a book for the academic shelf, it is a book of rediscovery of what is lost in many cultures and shows with clarity the links with nature and the universe now taken for granted. It is a book to read and re-read, to give understanding to the nature of life.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For students of Egyptology and metaphysics, October 11, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Egyptian Cosmology: The Animated Universe - Second Edition (Paperback)

Now is an expandedand and enhanced second edition, Moustafa Gadalla's Egyptian Cosmology: The Animated Universe offers the reader a an unusual and articulate introduction to the advanced and sophisticated cosmology of ancient Egypt. The metaphysics of Egyptian antiquity is coherent, comprehensive, consistent, logical, analytical, rational, and had an influence that went well beyond the borders of Egypt to influence the cultures of Rome and the western world. A native Egyptian and independent Egyptologist, Moustafa Gadalla provides the non-specialist general reader with highly recommended commentaries and insights into the Egyptian concepts of monotheistic mysticism; the description of the"Big Bang" origins of the universe as described in Egyptian texts; the numerical codes of creation; and much, much more. Egyptian Cosmology is enthusiastically recommended reading for students of Egyptology and metaphysics.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Made me hungry for more, May 8, 2005

By 

R. Wood - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Egyptian Cosmology: The Animated Universe - Second Edition (Paperback)

This was the first of Gadalla's books I ever read. Since then, I have also read a few chapters from his other books. Prior to reading his stuff, my previous knowledge of Egyptian (Kemetian?, Hermetian?) cosmology was a few of Ra Un Nefer Amen's and Muata Ashby's books. I am also vaguely familiar with Budge's ideas in this area, but I feel I have long ago outgrown those. Gadalla's strength is that he is a native of the area he writes about.

I have never seen a photo of Gadalla, so I don't know his race. But, I am going to guess by his occasional efforts (sometimes requiring him to bend over backwards and touch his toes) to avoid the issue of the race of the ancients that he is not what the west would consider a black man.

That said, I learned a lot from this book. If you have a thirst for knowledge of the ancients, and you have managed to get rid of the prejudices most folks have about that period in mankind's history, you will value this book.